"When I imagined college graduation, I saw myself with my best friends who would share four years of memories with me. But there was a major roadblock when I moved to campus. It seemed like the guys just wanted to talk about girls, and not in the swooning, girl crush kind of way. It was misogynistic, predatory behavior, like talking about how to seduce a girl or what a guy’s so-called “body count” was. Not only was the behavior wrong, but it seemed so heartless and void of emotion."

From Self-Harm to Self-Care to Self-Love Sylvia Maehr | December 2016

"Yes, the expectations are high. But you have to take a step back and prioritize your mental health. Figure out what self-care practices work for you. It might be meditation, or yoga, or exercise, or reading a book. If there’s one thing I learned from writing this story, it’s that the journey to self-love and self-care is a long one, but a worthwhile one."

Exploring Biracial Identity Elena Cruz | December 2016

"My dad is Chamorro, which means he’s from the pacific island Guam. My mom is white. So that makes me: a multiracial kid. And it’s hard to find other people with a similar background. It’s funny because by 2020 “more than half of the nation's children are expected to be part of a minority race or ethnic group” according to the U-S Census Bureau. But I still have very little access to people like me."

The Elephant in the Classroom Catherine Hoffman | December 2016

"Race isn’t always easy to talk about, but tip toeing around the topic is part of what sparked frustration and anger last year. The MU administration didn’t talk about race issues, and the student body protested against their indifference. Understanding a conflict is the first step towards solving it. It’s time to address the elephant in the room. We’re still moving past what happened last fall, but students can’t be a part of the solution if they don’t even know the problem."

Navigating New Ideas Kassidy Arena | December 2016

"So now I know I might not always know the answer to everything. And that’s OK. It’s OK to be confused. I learned I can’t wrap everything up in a nice little bow. Especially when it comes to large topics such as the oppression of marginalized groups—no matter what they are. It’s OK to not know the answer to everything."

Self Esteem and Sorority RecruitmentBailey Ferree | December 2016

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"It's safe to say that everyone has felt this on some scale, but for sorority women, specifically those who go through traditional formal Panhellenic recruitment, it’s much more noticeable. A study by Phired Up, a national organization that helps greek chapters recruit more effectively, found that women’s self esteem drops 30 percent during Panhellenic recruitment."

My Neighbor's MailboxLisa Zhuang | August 2016

"So when I knocked over my neighbor’s mailbox two days after I got my permit, I didn’t laugh it off with my friends. I made sure not a single soul found out about the incident. I didn’t want to become someone’s proof that Asian females were bad drivers. I didn’t want to perpetuate a stereotype."

Robots and Moral Responsibility Maryam Bledsoe | August 2016

"On the fateful day of March 23rd, 2016, a chatbot named TAY was launched on Twitter, partly due to the desire of big companies to connect with millennials. It would make its mark on Microsoft history, resulting in a PR nightmare."

Thinking Out Loud Full Show

In this 27 minute segment, you'll hear all the Making Waves Fall 2015 stories and interviews with the reporters. This segment aired on Thinking Out Loud on KBIA, Columbia Missouri's NPR member station.

Educating Beyond StereotypesMariah Doze | December 2015

"The stereotypes that harm black students are reinforced through our school curriculum. In my classes, the authors I read and the people I learn about are overwhelmingly white. When we only learn about things from a white perspective, it leaves room for misconceptions about people of color."

Challenging Performance-Based IdentityMadison Wright | December 2015

"Maybe we are afraid that if we take away all of our accomplishments, we won’t like who we are as people. So, I challenge you, and I challenge myself, to change the question from, “What have I done with my life?” to “What kind of person was I? What kind of person do I want to be?"

Growing Up Muslim in Mid-MissouriZoya Khan | December 2015

"I usually don't tell people about my religion. That’s because when people hear the word “Muslim,” they often have a certain idea of what that means. And since I dress like an average American teenager and I don’t wear a hijab, I don’t really fit the stereotype of a Muslim girl."

"Where Are You Really From?" Colorism and Racism in Immigrant Communities Jenna Liu | December 2015

"I realize the implications of racism toward immigrants stretch far beyond me. When Donald Trump calls Mexican immigrants rapists and murderers, and when 31 state governors attempt to lock Syrian refugees out of their borders, the outsider versus insider mentality turns into a matter of dehumanization and disregard for people’s lives."

The Blame GameSarah Freyermuth | May 2015

The Gender Gap QuestionDelaney Tevis | May 2015

Women outperform men academically from elementary school to graduate school, but only 3 percent of Fortune 1000 companies have a woman CEO. Making Waves reporter Delaney Tevis explored the gender leadership gap.

Encouraging Women in STEMClarissa Curry | May 2015

Stress, Mental Health and College AdmissionsJett Ballou-Crawford | May 2015

High school students are choosing to apply to more colleges than ever before. And for some students, more college applications means more stress. Making Waves reporter Jett Ballou-Crawford explains the link between college admissions season and mental health.